Container for electric bulbs and the like



Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,532

A. MOORE CONTAINER FOR ELECTRIC BULBS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1921 2sheet-,s-sheet l Mar. 27, 1923. 1,449,532

A. MOORE CONTAINER FOR ELECTRIC BULBS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1921 2sheets-sheet- 2 anvemtoz 35 Elbliomeq Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

ARLINGTON MOORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TO MOORE INVENTIONS CORPO- RATION, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTAINER FOR ELECTRIC BULBS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed August 29, 1921. Serial No. 496,47.

To all whom it may concern.

l e it known that I, AnmNo'roN Moons, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county. and State ofNew York. have invented a new and useful Improvement in ('ontainers forElectric Bulbs and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to containers for electric bulbs and the like andhas for its principal object to provide a container and holders thereinadapted to hold electric bulbs, bottles and similar breakable articlesin such manner as to prevent breakage by insuring that all shocks andstrains transmitted to the bulb or other article are exerted in thedirection of its greatest strength and power of resistance.

These and related objects are attained in a container for electric bulbsand the like by providing a set of holders for the enlarged or outerends of the bulbs or for the bottoms of bottles or the like made up ofstrips of material such as pasteboard, newsboard. chipboard or the like,set edgewise crossing one another and having recesses formed in theiredges at the crossing axis which provides seats for the outer ends ofthe bulbs or other articles. and by provid- 3 ing holders for thethreaded base of the bulb or for the bottle neck or the like comprisinga flat plate of similar, but preferably somewhat stiffer material inwhich the threaded end of the bulb or the bottle neck is received andheld. In the case of electric bulbs the openings in such plate areadaptcd to have the threaded ends of the bulb screwed therein in orderto support the bulb in upright position with the bottle necks orthreaded ends of the bulbs supported in this manner and their oppositeends supported in the seats formed in the edges of the crossing strips.so that the bulb, bottle or the like is supported between its oppositeends and is thoroughly protected from injury in handling, shipping orthe like. With the foregoing and related objects in view my inventionconsists in the forms of construction and combinations herein set forth.In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view with partsbroken away of an electric bulb container for a single row of bulbs.Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of a container for a double layer ofbulbs. the holder for one of the layers of bulbs being secured to thelid of the container. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view showing how theholders for the outer ends of the bulbs can be folded or collapsed tolie flat. Fig. 4 is a side view on enlarged scale of a stri forming oneof the cross pieces of a holdiar for a single row of bulbs. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 4 of one of the longitudinally notched and recessedstrips of a holder. Fig. (3 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing oneof the strips of an intermediate or double sided holder. Fig. 7 is aperspective View of a supporting board or plate in which an electricbulb can be screwed by its threaded end. Fig. 8 is an enlargedfragmentary detail view showing how the outer end of an electric bulb isheld in place in its seat. Fig. 9 is a detail view taken at right anglesto Fig. 8. Fig. W is a transverse sectional view of a modified form ofcontainer adapted for two sets or layers of bulbs and Fig. 11 is asectional view showing the application of the invention to the packagingof bottles.

Referring first to the container for electric bulbs, reference character10 designates the container which may be a box. carton or the like. Thecontainer 10 may have lids of various forms. A folding lid 11 withfastening flap 12 is illustrated in Fig. 1. The electric bulbs 13 aresupported in upright position within the container 10 by the threadedportion 13' being screwed in openings ll in the bottom board or plate15. Said bottom board or plate 15 is elevated from the bottom of thecontainer 10 by means of its downwardly extending flanges l6, l7.()penings 14 for receiving the threaded ends of the bulbs 13 by beingscrewed therein are preferably of a diameter substantially equal to theroot diameter of the threads upon the base of the bulbs, so that inorder to insert or remove a bulb it is necessary to screw the same in orout of the openings 14 in the plate 15. Said plate 15 is made ofmoderately heavy material such as strawboard, for example. and in orderthat the bulb may stand erect with its longitudinal axis atsubstantially right angles to the plate 15, the material of the plate ispreferably provided with a slot or cut 14' (see Fig. 7) at one side ofthe openings 14 therein, so that as the bulb is screwed in place thematerial of the holding plate can yield to form substantially a screwrow of bulbs. the holder for thread, as will be readily understood fromthe showing of Fig. T, and such yielding in both directions beingsubstantially equal, the bulb when firmly screwed in place in the platewill stand up or hang straight with its longitudinal axis substantiallyvertical. The distance between the plate 15 and the bottom 18 of thecarton is such that when the bulb base is screwed in place in plate 15the end thereof does not extend quite to the adjacent wall of thecarton. as shown for example in Fig. :2.

The opposite end of the bulb is supported in a holder having seatsmaking contact therewith along four lines 1 idiating from the center ofthe seat. Such holding means are obtained by the provision of aplurality of strips set edgewise and crossing one another and notchedout at their intersections to form seats for the ends of the electricbulbs.

In the form shown in Fig. l for a single the large outer ends of thebulbs is made up of transverse strips 19 (see Fig. l), and longitudinalstrips 20 (Fig. 5). The strips 19 are provided with cut-out portions 19and the longitudinal strips 20 with c t-out portions 20*. These stripsare provided at their crossing points with slots 19* and 20" formedpartly in each strip so as to permit the stri s to be readily puttogether to make up the olders and also to permit the collapsing of theholders as shown in Fig. 3, thereby providing for convenient storage orshipment of the holders. The strips when put together stand edgewiseengaging one another at the slotted portions formmg substantially alattice work with the strips at right angles to one another. Smallrecesses 19 and 20 may be provided at the bottoms of the cut-outportions 19 and 20*. if desired. for receiving the small teat or pointof the electric bulb. \Vhere a single row of bulbs is packed in acontainer. l preferably provide side strips 21 parallel to longitudinalstrips 20. but without cut-outs similar to 20 for forming seats therein.These strips are provided with slots 21 so that they can be assembledwith the transverse members 19 by means of slots 19 formed in such transverse members, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. In this manner the transversestrips 19 are held parallel to one another and do not readily get out ofplace. While two of the longitudinal strips 21 are shown. one at eachside of longitudinal strip '20 containing the seats. it may besufficient to make use of a single strip 21 dispensing with one of thestrips 21 and the transverse strips 19 may be held parallel in variousother manners. \Yhere a plurality of rows of bulbs are packed in acontainer as shown in Fig. id for example. such additional longitudinalstrips for holding the transverse strips paralle to one another may beentirely dispensed with since where a plurality of longitudinal stripsis provided having the cutouts for seats therein, as for example strips22 and 23, Fig. ll), no additional means for holding the transversestrips parallel is required.

The holder provided for the outer ends of the electric bulbs as abovedescribed may be referred to as substantially cruciform since the seatsare made up of edges of the strips extending radially in 10111 linesaway from the center of the seat, and the outer end of the bulb or thebottom of a bottle or the like may be securely held therein in a mannersomewhat similar to the holding of a round stone or pearl in a jewelrysetting.

The strips 19 and 20 are pre t'erably of material such as pasteboard.newsboard or chipboard which are adapted to support the bulbs but canyield more or less when subjected to moderate pressure applied to thebulb in its seat. The seats are preferably made smaller in one or moredimensions than the corresponding dimension of the bulb to be heldtherein, so that when the bulb is in place the material of the stripsadjacent to the seats can yield somewhat and conform to the contour ofthe bulb. lnthis way bulbs of varying contours can be firmly held andsubstantially no movement of the bulbs in their seats is permitted andbreakage of the bulbs is prevented. In the form shown, the transversediameter of the rounded recess making up the seats is made somewhatundersized as compared with the bulb. as is shown clearly in Figs. 8 and9, so that when the bulb 13 is put in place therein the edges or corners29 may yield and be displaced, for example, as shown in Fig. 9, thoughthe compression instead of being en tirely lateral may take place moreor less in the cdgewise direction of the strips as will be understood.The material of the strips is sulliciently elastic so that its tendencyto return to normal position results in the bulb bring firmly held andprevented from rattling around or getting out of place and this featureof the device also permits use of bulbs of various sizes although prefen ably as is customary the bulbs packed in a. single container aresubstantially uniform in size and contour.

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of a container, similar to Fig. 10, butwith the holder for the threaded portions of the top layer of bulbsbeing hingedly attached to one wall of the container and constitutingthe cover of the container. \Vhen the lid 30 is closed. the top portionsof the bulbs screwed thereinto fit into the seats in the top edges ofthe intermediate or separating holder 31. Flap 2E2 fitting snuglyagainst the adjacent wall 33 ot' the container. serves to hold lid 30securely in place. Holder 34 for the threaded ends of the top layer ofbulbs and which forms the lid, is constructed substantially like bottomholder 15, but has additional flanges 35, 36 at right an {"188 toflanges 16, 17, fitting closely against lid 30 and glued or otherwisesecured thereto, so that. when lid 31) is opened, holder 34 and thebulbs screwed thereinto will open out with it and can be easily removed.The removal of the separating holder 31 exposes the bottom layer ofbulbs. llhere containers are constructed adapted to hold four or moreparallel rows of bulbs, an upright support 37 made of suitable material,such as strawboard, folded three ways, is interposed between the holderfor the threaded portions of the bulbs and the adjacent wall, in thecenter and running preferably lengthwise of the container, (see ig. 2.)This is to prevent saggmg of the holders when the bulbs are inserted orremoved. Flanges 38, 39 of theupright support 37 are glued to theadjacent Walls, so as to hold the upright support in place.

To pack a container such as shown in Fig. 1. the bottom holder 15 isinserted in the container, with the flanges l0, l7 resting on the bottomof the container. The bulbs are screwed into place, and the top holder,consisting of cross members 19 and longitudinal members 20, 21, ifcollapsed, is straightened out, so that the cross members are at rightangles to the longitudinal member, and the holder is placed into thecontainer so that the seats formed at the crossing points or axes fitover the top portions of the bulbs. The seats are preferably spaced asutlicient distance apart so that there is no lateral contact betweenadjacent bulbs. The act of closing the container serves to compress itscon tents to the extent that the top holder projects beyond the top ofthe container when the bulbs are in place.

Containers as shown in Figs. 2 and 10 are packed similarly to those ofFig. 1, but an intermediate or separating holder having seats on bothsides at the crossing points or axes, is used, and the bulbs ol theu)per layer are screwed in their holder or li before insertion in thecontainer.

\Vhen the package is completed in the manner described, it will be seenthat the bulbs are held firmly by pressure applied to their oppositeends. that the bulbs are held apart and prevented from coming intolateral contact with one another, and that when so packed the containersmay be subjected to rough usage without danger of breaking the bulbs.

\Vlrile electric bulbs are a good example of articles packed andsupported as described. the invention may he applied to other fragilearticles adapted to be held at one end in openings in a ilate or boardand seated at the other end 1n ruciform seats formed in a lattice workholder made up of crossing strips set edgewise, and in Fig. 9 l

have shown forillustration of such uses a bottle 40 having its bottomreceived in a seat 41 formed of substantially square notches in strips42 and 43 and having its neck 4% received in an opening 45 in the boardor plate 46. Lattice work holdeis with seats such as herein describedare claimed broadly in my ctr-pending application Serial No. 496,476,filed August 29, 1921, and the present case is intended to cover suchholders only in combination with an apertured plate holder for theopposite end of the articles supported.

It is to be understood that the forms shown are for illustration onlyand are not to impose limitations upon the invention, and thatmodifications and changes may be made, within the scope of my claims,without departing from the principle of my invention.

1 claim:

1. A container for fragile articles comprising a carton, a holdertherein comprising a plate provided with openings in which one end isreceived, and a holder for the opposite ends of the articles comprisinga lattice work of strips set edgewise and having seats therein at thestrip intersections.

*2. A container for electric bulbs comprising a carton, a holder thereincomprising a plate provided with openings into which the bases ofelectric bulbs can be screwed, and a holder for the opposite ends of thebulbs comprising a lattice work of strips set edgewise and having seatsfor the ends of the bulbs at the strip intersections.

3. A container for electric bulbs comprising a carton, a plate in thecarton and elevated from the base thereof. said plate being providedwith holes for receiving the threaded portion of the bulbs by beingscrewed therein, and a holder for the opposite ends of the bulbscomprising notched strips set edgewise and crossing at the notches andprovided with bulb seats formed in the edges of the strips and havingtheir centers at the crossing axes.

4. A container for electric bulbs comprising a sheet or plate providedwith downwardly extending flanges whereby said plate is supportedandelevated at a distance above the bottom of the carton, said plate beingprovided with holes into which the threaded ends of electric bulbs maybe screwed, and a holder for the opposite ends of the bulbs comprising aplura ity of crossed strips having notches in each for passage of theother and provided at their crossing with intersecting recessed portionsforming seatsv for the larger end of the electric bulbs, said seatsbeing substantially over the openings in said plate.

5. A container for electric bulbs comprising a carton and its lid, aplate in the container and having flanges extending downwardly therefromwhereby said plate is elerated above the bottom ol. the container, saidplate being provided with a plurality of holes for receiving thethreaded portions of the bulbs by being screwed therein, and a holderfor the opposite ends of the bulbs comprising notchedstrips set cdgewiseand crossing at the notches and provided with bulb seats formed in theedges of the strips, said seats having their centers at the crossingaxes of said strips, and said holder being adapted when electric bulbsare in place therein to normally extend somewhat be- 'ond the top of thecarton, whereby said holding means are adapted .to be compressed uponthe bulbs when the lid is closed.

6. In an electric bulb container, a holder plate into which the threadedportions of the bulbs are screwed and held in upright position, a holderhaving flexible four edged seats for the opposite ends of the bulbs,said seats being located at a distance apart to keep the bulbs out ofcontact and having a transverse dimension smaller than the correspondingdimension of bulbs to be placed therein, whereby the parts of the stripsforming the seats may yield somewhat under pressure to conform to thecontour of the bulbs 7. A holder for the threaded ends of elec' tricbulbs comprisin a plate having an opening therein of diametersubstantially equal to the root diameter of the threaded portion of thebulbs, and the material of said plate being slotted on one side of suchopenings whereby the material of the plate will conform to the screwthreads and hold a bulb screwed therein with its longitudinal axissubstantially at right angle to the plate.

8. In an electric bulb container, a carton. a plate supported above thebottom of the carton and being providedwith holes slotted at one sidewhereby electric bulbs screwed therein are supported with theirlongitudinal axis substantially at right angles to the plate, andholders for the opposite ends of the electric bulbs comprising a latticework of crossed strips having seats for the ends of bulbs -formedtherein by recessing the strips at their intersections, such seatscorresponding in number and position to the number and position of theopenings in the plate into which the electric bulbs are screwed.

9. In an electric bulb container, a carton and a lid hinged to saidcarton, holding means within the carton for resiliently supportingelectric bulbs by their ends, a plate secured to the lid and spaced awaytherefrom, said plate being provided with openings of a diametersubstantially equal to the root diameter of the threads on the threadedend of the electric bulbs and having cuts formed in the plate at oneside of the openings therein whereby electric bulbs screwed into saidopenings-are maintained with their longitudinal/axis at substantiallyright angle to the plate and the lid of the carton may be opened andclosed with the bulbs screwed in place in the openings in such plate andsupported thereby.

10. In a container for electric bulbs, a carton and its lid. a plate inthe bottom of the carton and spaced away therefrom and provided' withopenings into which the threaded portions of bulbs may be screwed, alattice work of cross strips set edgewise and provided with recesses intheir oppo site edges forming seats for the ends of electric bulbs andadapted to be placed upon a series of bulbs secured in said plate, aplate secured to the lid and spaced away therefrom and having holes intowhich the electric bulbs may be screwed by being screwthreaded therein,said lid when closed being extending downward and received in seats inthe upper face of the double faced intermediate holding member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have signed my name hereto.

ARLINGTON MOORE.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1349532. granted March27, 1923, upon the agplication of Arlington Moore, of New York. N. Y.for an imrovement in 'ontainers for Electric Bulbs and the Like," anerror appears in the printed specification requiring correction asfollows: Page 4. line 85, claim 10, before the .word extending insertthe words adapted to bring a. series of bulb; in place therein withtheir l-nds; and that, the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the caseiii the Patent Oiiice.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of May. A. D., 1923.

[emu] KARL FENNING,

Acting C'ommisszbmr of Patents.

